Love in the Time of Tropics

Chapter 25: An Invader

Well, I'm glad the review sync issue got fixed so I wouldn't have to ask you guys to PM your reviews. Whew...not getting them in full was tiring. Anyway, on to Chapter 25!

Chapter 25

An Invader

"These annoying things! Stufful, Hidden Power!" Jessilie's annoyed screeches echoed around the road as she kicked her long leg at one of the descending Wingull. She was scowling, Serena noticed, but the honey blonde Performer snapped her own attention back to the still charging Pokémon that were barreling down at them.

"Braixen, use Psyshock!" Serena called. Braixen swiped her claws, and from them flew the purple streaks of light, arching upward into the air and then crashing down into the herd of Tauros. They managed to scatter, but it didn't solve any of the other problems currently surrounding them.

"I wonder what's making them all so mad and rampaging," Maka commented as Mele hopped on top of her head. He bound off, sending an Air Cutter slicing through the sky to stop the divebombing Trumbeak.

"No idea, but I'm sure Clemont will figure it out," Serena said. She flipped back from where she was, a Tauros bucking wildly, nearly impaling her with his horns. Pancham came twirling down, landing an Arm Thrust on Tauros' head, stopping its horns by locking them into the ground. "Brionne, Bubblebeam!"

"Bree!" Brionne called, sending a giant bubble out that was floated and pushed along by the series that followed. It exploded against Tauros and sent it flying back.

"Yeah? How long's that gonna take?" Maka asked with a slight bit of annoyance. A Trumbeak spun right for her with Drill Peck and she cartwheeled out of the way, knocking into Jameson by accident. Giving an apologetic expression to the blue-haired man, she ordered a Revelation Dance that seared the Trumbeak, whose beak impaled the ground. "I don't think this line of Pokémon is growing any thinner."

"Then we'll take care of that," Jameson declared, stepping forth like he was prepared to take on the whole herd of rampaging Tauros. He rolled his shoulder, like he was winding up to take a pitch. Next to him, Jessilie smirked with glee, pointing straight ahead at the herd in front of them.

"Wobbuffet, at attention!" she snapped. Wobbuffet saluted and bounded forward to stand right in front of the Tauros, like he was prepared to take the full brunt of attacks.

"Now, Crabrawler, hit it with a Bubblebeam and Power-Up Punch!" Jameson commanded. He look absolutely giddy and Serena quickly realized just what the Performer and her fan club were doing. It looked strangely familiar to the honey blonde, something she couldn't quite shake, but she also realized the dangerous implications of it all.

"Maka, pull back. You, too, Braixen and Pancham," she yelled out, bending down to grab Brionne carefully. Without a second thought or a glance back, Serena ran past the imposing trio that was preparing to mow down the Tauros with a powerful counter blast.

"Let's do this! Let's see how a herd of Tauros feels when it gets blasted off!"

"Uh, Jessilie, let's not get to ahead of ourselves," the short member of the fan club said, folding his arms. It made him no less fierce, especially as Crabrawler shot towards Wobbuffet. The blue lug was glowing as bubbles impacted with its surface. Crabrawler was no longer alone, either, a Psybeam and Dark Pulse shooting at Wobbuffet's sides. He appeared to actually be grinning as he took the attacks, like some sort of masochist. Crabrawler reached his mark, his fist glowing bright orange as he struck against his own comrade. Wobbuffet was pushed back a little as Crabrawler landed on the ground and began to scuttle back towards Jameson, clamping him dangerously on the head.